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City contract with psychological firm suspended

Baltimore's mayor is suspending the city's contract with a Lutherville psychology firm accused of improperly evaluating police recruits for mental health. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is calling into question whether officers have been adequately screened for mental health in order to do their jobs properly. The suspension comes as the company, Psychology Consultants Associated, is named in a wrongful death lawsuit.

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Updated: 10:59 PM EDT Aug 7, 2015

City contract with psychological firm suspended

Baltimore's mayor is suspending the city's contract with a Lutherville psychology firm accused of improperly evaluating police recruits for mental health. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is calling into question whether officers have been adequately screened for mental health in order to do their jobs properly. The suspension comes as the company, Psychology Consultants Associated, is named in a wrongful death lawsuit.

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Updated: 10:59 PM EDT Aug 7, 2015

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WEBVTT SITS ON THE BOARD OF THE BLACK MENTAL HEALTH ALLIANCE WHO SAYS THESE EVALUATIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST DR. LAKEITA CARTER SAYS NEWS OF A LUTHERVILLE PSYCHOLOGY FIRM ALLEGEDLY RUSHING THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF ASPIRING POLICE OFFICERS IS CONCERNING. CARTER SAYS THAT SHE HAS TREATED FIRST RESPONDERS INCLUDING SOME CITY AND STATE POLICE OFFICERS FOR MENTAL STABILITY. FIRST RESPONDERS REALLY NEED TO BE TRAINED TO SET ASIDE THOSE THINGS SO THEY CAN HELP OTHERS IN THEIR TIME OF NEED. IF THERE IS SOMEBODY COMPROMISE FROM A MENTAL HEALTH OR EMOTIONAL STANDPOINT, WE DON'T WANT TO BE SENDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTO THE FIELD. WE WANT THEM TO GET TREATMENT. REPORTER: ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS, PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATED CAME UNDER FIRE AFTER THE COMPANY SOLICITED A LOCAL PSYCHOLOGIST TO HELP CONDUCT 15 MINUTE ASSESSMENT ON RECRUITS INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED HOUR-LONG SESSIONS. ON FRIDAY, STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE SAYS THE CITY IS RISK -- SUSPENDING REFERRALS OF POLICE TO PCA UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE. THESE ARE VERY CONCERNING ALLEGATIONS THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. WHEN SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT, PARTICULARLY WITH PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY, I TAKE SWIFT ACTION. REPORTER: THERE ARE MORE ALLEGATIONS FACING PCA AND ITS PRESIDENT. PCA AND ITS PRESIDENT ARE NAMED IN A WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT. ANGELINE TODMAN, WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR, KILLED HERSELF WITH HER SERVICE WEAPON. HER FAMILY ALLEGES THAT PCA IS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DEATH AFTER SACHS REPORTEDLY DEEMED HER FIT TO RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER TWO INVOLUNTARY HOSPITALIZATIONS. THINGS CAN HAPPEN THAT TIP THE SCALES. AN EVALUATION DONE IN 2014 MAY COME BACK AS SOMEONE BEING FIT FOR DUTY. SIX-MONTH IT -- LATER, THAT SAME PERSON MIGHT NOT BE FIT FOR DUTY. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING WHEN THAT PERSON NEEDS TO GO BACK? REPORTER: THE MAYOR'S OFFICE RELEASED A STATEMENT, THROUGH ONGOING LITIGATION, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS COME TO THE MAYOR'S ATTENTION WHICH MAKES IT NECESSARY TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND OUR CONTRACT WITH PCA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE MAYOR WILL MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION ON THE STATUS OF PCA'S CONTRACT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE OPEN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE IF PCA HAS SATISFACTORILY MET THE TERMS OF THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. THE MAYOR SAYS SERVICES WILL NOW BE PROVIDED THROUGH A TOWSON

City contract with psychological firm suspended

Baltimore's mayor is suspending the city's contract with a Lutherville psychology firm accused of improperly evaluating police recruits for mental health. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is calling into question whether officers have been adequately screened for mental health in order to do their jobs properly. The suspension comes as the company, Psychology Consultants Associated, is named in a wrongful death lawsuit.